Spy School Meets FunJungle
by iMgRaTeR
Summary: A crossover between Spy School and FunJungle.
1. Author's Note

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Spy School or Fun Jungle or any of the characters, they are rightfully owned by the legend himself, Stuart Gibbs.**

**If you're actually bothering to read this, then hello. Please remember that this is the first fanfiction I've ever written, so it might not be that good - but hey, you gotta start somewhere.**

**If you think it's bad, please don't just outright tell me it sucks. Tell me how it sucks and if you can, how to fix it. It would be greatly appreciated if you don't comment 'Everything sucks!' (in any shape or form, smart-aleck) because that's not helpful at all. I'd like if I got some constructive criticism instead.**

**If you see any mistakes (grammar, spelling, punctuation etc.), please tell me and it would (hopefully) be fixed on short notice. This should not be the case because I'm using Grammarly to help me.**

**Also, let it be noted that it was just today that I decided to do this story, so the first bit and the first chapter where just written today.**

**Okay, enjoy, I guess.**

**(BTW, spoilers for Spy School British Invasion and Lion Down)**


	2. Emails

July 10

1300 hours

To: *******

From: ******

We always knew ************ was up to no good. But since ******************************** everyone's gotten a bit more concerned. It's time we do something about it and I have selected ***************, who has proved himself a worthy agent more than a few times, to help ************ on this mission.

Said agents would have to ************************************** and ****************.

They'll be informed of this mission shortly after this email is sent.

Sincerely,


	3. Chapter One: New Mission

"Could Ben Ripley please report to the principal's office," the principal's voice crackled through the speakers, unnecessarily loud. The whole back row woke abruptly at the noise.

I had to stop myself from toppling over my seat as I jumped in surprise.

"Ah, I'm finally getting good at this!" the principal yelled excitedly, causing some of the first years around me to cover their ears, before signing off.

"I bet you're going on a mission," Zoe Zibbell whispered to me from my left. She sounded a little jealous.

"If it is, could we join you?" Mike Brezinski said from my right. They said this in the casual manner normal people might use to talk about the weather.

"It might not be a mission," I said hopefully as I stood up.

"Right," Zoe rolled her eyes as I left. Everyone watched me almost enviously as I walked past them.

A year ago, if this had happened, everybody would've thought that I was just in trouble.

In Spy School, you usually didn't go on a mission until after at least a few years after graduating.

But, with my bad luck, by my third year, I had ended up participating in more than a couple of missions

The past few months, I'd been going on mission after mission and after a while, it became pretty obvious what I was doing. In fact, in my last mission, me and my friends had been wrongly declared Public Enemy #1 in England while trying to take down an evil organization named SPYDER. We were cleared, but it was pretty clear afterwards that we had been on mission.

Now with SPYDER down, I had thought that I wouldn't have to go on a mission, at least for another few years.

I knew I had been wrong as I entered the principle's office to find Cyrus Hale waiting for me.

Cyrus Hale had been the best agent in the CIA before he had retired and still was a very good spy. He didn't take very well to retiring and still went on some rogue missions.

As I entered the office, I had no option but to be crammed next to Cyrus.

The office was actually not an office, but a closet (due to when I had blown up the actual office, but that's a whole other story.) The area would've been cramped already, but the principal (or 'the Idiot' as he was called among the students) had placed a desk in.

Cyrus didn't look too happy to be squished next to me.

"Took you long enough," he grumbled gruffly.

"Let me guess. It's a mission, right?" I sighed.

"Don't jinx it, boy," Cyrus barked roughly. "But it is," he added as an afterthought.

I grimaced. So much for hoping. I looked to where the Idiot was and saw him playing on his phone.

He saw me looking at him and looked up. "What?" the Idiot said trying to look menacing, but failing quite badly.

"Don't worry about him, he'll probably forget about it a few seconds after we leave," Cyrus cut in.

"Hey!"

Both of us ignored him.

Cyrus handed me an envelope. I carefully opened it and looked it through.

_Operation Sluggish Civet_

I had barely read through the title when Cyrus snatched it.

"Oh, you're taking too long," he said grumpily. "We need to be on the road as fast as we can. I'll explain it in the car." He grabbed by my arm and steered me out of the closet.

"Whoa, hold up. Isn't anyone else coming with us?" I tried to ask him.

"Unfortunately, no," he muttered crankily. He let go of my arm as he strode through the hallway. "Follow me."

"Not even Erica?" I crossed my fingers that his granddaughter would be coming. Erica Hale was the best spy-in-training at St Smithens and was probably more capable than half the agents in the CIA, even though she was only a fifth year. She had saved my life more times than I could count and her flawless beauty was definitely a bonus factor.

"I haven't even told her about the mission, but she's probably figured it out by now," Cyrus said without looking back. He was walking so fast I had to jog to keep up.

"Why not?" I asked even though I know why. Erica was far more competent a spy than I was, and if Cyrus chose me over her on a mission it could only mean one thing; it put my life in danger. Cyrus would certainly not want to put a target on his granddaughter's head no matter how good an agent she was, and he considered me a lot more expendable.

Cyrus didn't bother answering.

By now we were at the front of the school, the gate only 20 metres ahead.

"Where are we going?" I asked. Cyrus ignored me once again.

"I haven't even packed yet!" I yelled, trying to make Cyrus listen to me.

"It's been packed for you, we need to get on with this as quickly as possible," Cyrus finally replied.

The people at the gate checked through IDs quickly and let us through. As we walked, I couldn't bother trying to talk to Cyrus, knowing he probably wouldn't reply so I just followed him quietly instead.

Cyrus continued to walk in his quick pace until we turned the corner. Stopping suddenly, he fished out a pair of car keys from his pocket. Parked at the side was a rusty, old pickup truck.

"Get in," Cyrus ordered. So I did, clumsily onto the seat next to the driver, still wondering where we were going and what on earth our mission was.

Cyrus dropped in beside me. As the engines growled loudly and the car took off, as though reading my mind, Cyrus announced, "We're going to Texas."


	4. Chapter Two: Chat In The Car

Cyrus had been in no rush to explain what our mission was as he drove.

It wasn't until three hours later that Cyrus finally informed me what on earth we were going to be doing in Texas.

We had just passed the Virginia border and still had over 1,339 miles to cover.

I had nothing to do to entertain myself except to play games on my new CIA phone and listen to the radio.

The only times Cyrus spoke was to complain about the songs that were being played.

I had spent most of that time trying not to get frustrated about Cyrus's vagueness about the mission and trying not to think how bad this mission would go without Erica. I was certain that I had only succeeded in any of my missions because Erica had helped.

I also couldn't help but wonder what excuse the CIA would make to cover up my being in Texas.

"Your cover is that you are doing a short exchange program in the Lyndon B. Johnson Middle School in San Antonio," Cyrus said simply, turning the radio off. I looked at him oddly, trying to figure out how he had read my mind.

"You said it loud," Cyrus rolled his eyes.

"Erm, whatever– wait, so this mission takes place, San Antonio?" I asked realising what he had said before.

"Around the FunJungle Zoo area, to be exact," he said not taking his eyes off the road. I was suddenly sort of excited.

"We get to go to FunJungle?" I said eagerly. FunJungle was the biggest zoo in the world, with everything from capybaras to zebras. It had only finished construction a year ago but was easily the most visited place in Texas. I had never been there although it was definitely in my Top Places To Visit in North America list.

"Yes, but don't get too distracted by it; you've got a mission to focus on," Cyrus replied stonily.

"Speaking of which, you wouldn't mind telling me what that is?" I inquired, hoping to finally get some answers.

"JJ McCracken, the owner of FunJungle, was seen talking to ex-SPYDER agent Dane Brammage last night."

I could barely process this.

"JJ McCracken – one of the richest, most famous men in America – wait, Dane Brammage is alive? I thought he was dead!" I exclaimed. I had seen him seemingly die on my last mission, but I suppose I'd seen him 'die' on multiple occasions – only with him still being alive afterwards.

"So did the CIA, but that bastard is still breathing apparently," Cyrus said angrily, frustrated by Dane's seeming immortality.

"Anyway, your job is to befriend his only weak spot; his daughter Summer," he added casually.

"You think I'll be able to be friends with Summer McCracken," I said trying to figure out if he was serious. Summer was maybe the most famous teenage girl in the United States. I didn't know much about her, but what I did know was that she always wears pink, is very pretty and was spoiled and rich beyond belief.

"Sure. You were able to befriend Jessica Shang. This is a bit like that mission in Colorado, actually," Cyrus said.

"Not many people knew Jessica. Summers's so famous, I'd be lucky if I got her to sign a napkin," I said drily.

"She goes to that public school you'll be exchanging at."

I must have looked surprised because Cyrus had added, "Shocking, I know."

I took a minute to take that information in. Sighing, I turned the radio back on but quickly turned it off as _Old Town Road _started playing.

"Who are you supposed to be on this mission?" I tried to change the subject.

"Your grandfather who's driving you to Texas and staying with you," he grunted unhappily.

"Why didn't I get to have the choice to not go on this mission?" I asked.

"You did, you could've just said that you didn't want to come before we already travelled 200 miles. Now it's too late," Cyrus replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"It's sort of like how you waited three hours to ask me what our mission was. I would've told you before," Cyrus carried on.

"What? Are you telling me you would have told me?" I questioned, getting a bit irked.

"It's not like I would've led you around the whole mission not knowing what you were supposed to do," Cyrus said, making me look stupid.

"Well, you didn't answer my other questions!" I tried to defend myself.

"Well, those questions were stupid!"

I'm pretty sure we spent the next few hours bickering, and after a while I found myself drifting off.

I woke up to the sun beaming at my face.

"Aagh," I tried to scramble away from it but remembered that I was still in the seat of the car.

"Get up, we're here," Cyrus, who was holding the door of the car open, gave me no time to prepare.

I wasn't that sleepy; I had finally fallen asleep at 2430 hours and right now it was around 1 pm. But I'd spent nearly 24 hours straight in the car, and that ought to have made an impact on my back.

I knew Cyrus wouldn't take no for an answer so I acquiescingly got off the car. We were parked in front of a small, basic-looking house which I guessed we would be staying in for the next few days.

"It's a CIA safe house," Cyrus explained. "It was built only a couple of years ago for agents who are going through the area."

I expected the inside of the house to be filled with gadgets or booby traps; my years at the CIA had taught me not to be deceived by what looked simple or innocent.

I was disappointed as I entered the house to find a normal looking living room too.

"Brush your teeth and change your clothes, there's no time to unpack. We'll be leaving for FunJungle in a few minutes," Cyrus ordered.

I recalled everything Cyrus had told me about my mission yesterday. It wouldn't be easy to become friends with Summer McCracken and it sucked that Dane Brammage was still somehow alive, but my excitement for FunJungle diminished all my fears and worries.

I dressed up quickly and brushed my teeth as quickly as I could.


	5. Chapter Three: FunJungle

Ben

I knew I had made a big mess after I got into a fight at the shark tank.

It was 1:43 pm when we had finally gotten into FunJungle. The security was lax to the point of idiocy, but it seemed a hundred people were trying to get into the zoo at the same time.

The heat didn't help at all; the Texas sun was burning so angrily on me, that it felt like I was being boiled in a pot.

Despite having changed into shorts and a t-shirt, I was sweating like a mad man. I wouldn't have been surprised if I had left a puddle of perspiration where I had stood for what felt like an eternity.

After a whole half-an-hour, we finally got out of the line of hot, sweaty people and into the inside of the park. I was enlivened immediately at the sight of the dozens of different animals that greeted me.

Fresh excitement bubbled in me, and I momentarily forgot about the heat. But then I deflated as I remembered what I was supposed to be doing.

If this had been a normal trip, I would've happily spent the whole day going through all the hundreds of animals at the zoo.

However, this wasn't a normal trip and Cyrus already had the day planned out for me.

Cyrus had explained to me our objective briefly on the drive. It was simple; we were quite plainly just looking around for anything suspicious in the park that JJ owned.

The park was, as mentioned before, the largest zoo in the world, so it's not like Cyrus would actually expect us to get a lead on anything.

I couldn't start school (where my main mission was) until tomorrow so we had a whole day to spend.

Cyrus couldn't let me have even a couple of hours of relaxation. Instead, we had to pointlessly search around for 'unusual' and 'criminal-like' activities going around the park.

Cyrus put on a big, toothy grin. "C' mon, Benny. Hurry up. No time to waste!" I was supposed to be 'Bennett Marshall', or Benny as my 'Grandpa Marshall' liked to call me.

"I'm just so excited to be here, Grandpa!" I forced on a wide smile as I caught up to him.

He stopped suddenly in front of a Fish and Chips shop. "Now, Bennett, we're not gonna cause any ruckus while we're here, are we?" Cyrus looked at me with a serious look in his eye.

We had decided beforehand it would be best to split ways and then meet back later near the entrance at 5 o'clock sharp. If I got lost, I would just have to call him on my new CIA phone.

Honestly, I'm surprised that Cyrus had enough trust in me to leave me to explore on my own. He surely had ulterior motives, like going off and doing something he didn't want me to know about ...

"Yes, Grandpa," I droned unenthusiastically. Cyrus gave me a fake smile.

"Good. Now scamper off, you, and make sure to have a good time!"

Without looking back, I knew that Cyrus was looking at me doubtfully, waiting for me to mess up.

I _was_ having a good time. For a couple of hours at least. I was going through all the exhibits slowly and it was every bit as interesting as I had expected it to be.

A few people looked at me curiously, wondering what a 13-year-old boy was doing walking around FunJungle by himself. I'd just shrug back at them, unexplanatory.

I did keep an eye out for trouble, however. No one seemed too suspicious.

The only thing that I hated about the parked were some of the visitor's treatment towards the animals. People were throwing stuff like bottle caps and park food into the animal exhibits and then laughing immorally as the animals ate it up. It was careless (what if an animal choked on it?) and it took all of me to not to stop them and make a scene.

_Now's not the time, _I reminded myself. But I found myself getting more and more annoyed as I watched a particularly nasty duo of large, awkward-looking teenage boys who gathering sticks and lobbing them into the shark tank.

The sign nearby that told the visitors not to feed the animals was blatantly ignored, and although everyone in the area seemed well aware of what the boys were doing, no one could actually bother trying stopping them.

I doubted they could, anyway. The boys were both absurdly tall and quite wide but had the acne-covered face of 15-year-olds. You could hardly tell them apart; they were likely twins. They looked like the type of people who picked on other kids for fun and got into fights for no reason.

Then the sharks started thinking that the sticks were food.

The sharks had started noticing the sticks being hurled at them and, thinking it was feeding time, they had their mouths wide open. Before I could warn them somehow, multiple sticks were flung into their mouths. One of the sharks had been trying to eat a rather large stick when they started choking.

I tensed immediately, holding my breath, but after a few seconds, they finally swallowed it.

At the same time I gave a sigh of relief, the boys burst out laughing. I felt a sudden rush of anger, and my morals gave in.

I marched up to the boys thoughtlessly, not sure what I was going to say. I tapped one of twins' shoulder and they turned to simultaneously look at me.

"What?" Boy #1 growled trying to scare me. I'm going to be honest: a year and a half ago, I probably would have been petrified. He was a head taller than me and near perhaps twice my weight.

But ever since starting spy school, I had faced much worse than a big 15-year-old boy.

I confidently stood up tall. "I just wanted to tell you that you're not allowed to be feeding the sharks."

"Duh," Boy #2 tried to roll his eyes but ended up looking to the side instead.

"Stop then," I said a bit more forcefully. "You're hurting the sharks." The boys looked mad for some reason - probably at being told what to do.

"Yeah, well it's funny," Boy #1 spat out angrily. "And we don't care," added Boy #2 strenuously. "You're not the boss of us," they managed to bellow out at the same time.

They looked ready to brawl, so I took a step back. "Woah, I wasn't trying to insult you guys or anything but you should really sto-"

Not the right thing to say. Boy #1 suddenly thrust his fist at my jaw, trying to punch me. Key word trying; I caught his fist before it hit me. Both the boys looked at me stunned. I was a bit surprised myself at first, but I recalled a memory after I had gotten expelled from St Smithins.

I grimaced, "Not again."

The crowd around the shark tank gasped. They looked a bit eager for a fight (sick people...) and they seemed shocked that I wasn't beaten up on the ground yet. (Which is quite offensive, actually.)

A few had seriously gotten out their phone and started recording.

Boy #2 caught himself. Roaring some sort of battle cry, he lunged himself at me. My instincts kicked in and I stepped on to the side.

Boy #2 ran headfirst into a tree, falling down as he had probably knocked himself out._ Er, well I guess he's down, _I was a bit confused.

Boy #1 snapped out of his daze and realized at the same time as me that I was still holding his fist. I dropped it quickly.

"You're gonna pay for that you little twerp," he howled. He started throwing all sorts of punches at me, all of which I either blocked or dodged.

As I caught a fist aimed at my nose, I yelled at the obviously entertained audience (who were gasping every time the boy failed to hurt me), "Could someone call security?"

Crickets and an attempt at a shot at my neck greeted me.

I wasn't going to hit back; any punch that would be able to stop the lunatic was a punch that a normal 13-year-old boy who looked like me wouldn't be able to do.

It was bad enough that I wasn't lying unconscious on the ground with a dozen bruises. Cyrus would probably kill me for afterwards for not staying in character. Speaking of Cyrus ... He wasn't going to like this.

The boy (I guess there's no point in calling him #1 anymore) was making me take a step back with every attempt at a blow, and I was soon cornered at the edge of the shark tank.

I, being the stupid person I was, looked back. The sharks had given up any hope at getting a good lunch and were dully swimming around like they were disappointed.

I just might've helped them with that, because the next thing I knew, I was flying into the shark tank.

So ... What do you think? I know it's mean and unnecessary for me to ask for feedback, but I'm really curious.

So anyway, finally got to the action in this chapter. Teddy and Summer just might _finally _come up in the next chapter.

Anyway, here's a trivia question to keep you interested:

_What kind of pillows did Ben say that Erica had in her room in Spy School Goes South?_


End file.
